The Favorite Gift
by Zyra M
Summary: Just a sweet little story about Anakin Solo and his favorite present his father gave him that reminds Leia of something from her childhood.


_**A/N: I think a lot of us need a little bit of this in our lives after seeing The Force Awakens. Going back to how I will always picture the Solo family.**_

"Hi, baby," Han said as he entered the room of his youngest son. Anakin was only a few months old. While the twins were about to celebrate their second birthdays, walking and talking and causing all sorts of interesting ruckus, their younger brother was still a sweet and very non-destructive little baby. He seemed quieter than his siblings, although both Han and Leia wondered if that was his nature or if it was just the fact that there was only one of him that it made him seem calmer and less intrusive. The baby easily went with the flow, quietly observing things around him and rarely demanding much attention, though he was never short of it in the first place.

His big, blue eyes gazed out at the universe, often studying the twins and futilely attempting to mimic some of their movements. If they were dancing around, he might kick his chubby little legs while lying on his back. Or if they were flailing their arms wildly he might try the same thing. Like his siblings, he was an affectionate child. Though content to lie on his own, he eagerly accepted any physical affection from his parents or even siblings. He was happy to nuzzle his head onto Leia's shoulder or grasp his father's shirt and lean against Han's chest. And while he didn't yet understand the concept of puckering his lips he would readily accept offered kisses. While Han loved that the twins had become far more active and fun to play with, he had to admit it was quite enjoyable to still have a little baby around who enjoyed being held, and who he never had to worry about turning his back on because for the time being, he was always right where you left him.

Han had been away from home for a few days and picked up a little something for Anakin. The twins had amassed many toys in their short time in the universe, and just about the last thing they needed was another stuffed animal. Han had seen this small stuffed Wookiee, strongly resembling Chewbacca, and decided that his baby just had to have it. Anakin was nearing sleep when Han approached, having arrived home just after Leia put him down. Normally they felt it was best to leave him to sleep, but Han had missed him and wanted to see him, even briefly, before having to wait until morning.

"I got this for you, little guy," Han said softly as he approached the crib. Anakin's eyes were only half open, but when his eyes saw his father, the baby smiled, and Han was even more glad that he took the time to say goodnight. He leaned over and placed the doll next to his youngest son, the stuffed animal almost as long as the baby. Anakin's eyes had shut, but he leaned into the soft fur and seemed content. Han placed a hand over his baby's warm head, brushing the whisps of soft hair and then leaning down to kiss his forehead before leaving the room. Leia had been waiting for him in the hallway, and they had some reuniting of their own to attend to.

Over the years, that stuffed Wookiee had become Anakin's favorite. How funny, Han thought, that some children were inexplicably drawn to one toy, or in some cases, a blanket. The twins had never formed a strong attachment to any particular toy. They loved their toys, but the loss of any one in particular was not usually cause for alarm.

This was not so when it came to Anakin and his Wookiee. It was to come everywhere with him, and sleep with him every night. If one of his siblings was feeling particularly malicious, all they needed to do was abduct the poor stuffed animal and wait for their younger brother to react unfavorably. Both Han and Leia were not fans of this particular tactic but had learned that siblings were not always particularly nice to each other. Fortunately, they did balance it out at least somewhat by occasionally being good natured or nice.

Han also got a kick out of the fact that his son's best friend was a Wookiee, much like his father. The children had grown up with Chewbacca looking after them. The big, furry oaf was almost as much a part of the family as anyone whose last name actually was Solo. Anakin always seemed proud to show Chewie what he and "Wookiee" (Anakin's very creative name for his stuffed pal) had been up to that day. "Uncle Chewie, me and Wookiee went on the swings today!" And the actual Wookiee would growl and muss the boy's hair.

Now four years old, the youngest Solo still felt his very best friend was Wookiee. He had even recently declared to Han that Wookiee was his twin brother. When Han asked why he said that everyone else had a twin, his mother had Luke, Jacen had Jaina, so clearly he needed a twin. Han reminded him that he didn't have a twin, and Anakin exclaimed, "Yes you do, Uncle Chewie!" and all Han could do was laugh.

One quiet night in the Solo house, the twins were off on an adventure with their Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara. Anakin wasn't quite old enough, so he was stuck at home with his parents, though the boy didn't seem to mind. Being the younger sibling to rambunctious twins wasn't always easy, and it certainly was difficult to get attention at times. Anakin was never one to fight for attention, but it was clear he appreciated it when he got it. So Han and Leia had made the boy his favorite dinner and watched his favorite holomovie with him. Anakin snuggled up between his parents on the couch, holding Wookiee under his little arms.

As so often happened to children that young, the boy was asleep before the holomovie was over, conked out while nestled up against Leia's side. "I think it might be bed time," she said to her husband, and then moved her eyes down to their baby.

"Looks like it," Han replied before standing up and bending down to gently scoop Anakin into his arms, doing his best not to disturb his sleep. Although that wasn't difficult; the boy was a very deep sleeper and it tended to be easy to move him without waking him. He carried his son to his bedroom and lay him down in the bed, pulling the blankets up to his chin and then wiping the hair away from his forehead.

"Don't forget Wookiee," Leia said from behind him, holding her arm outstretched with the sacred stuffed animal. "You dropped him."

"Thanks," Han said as he took the doll and tucked him in with their son. He knew someday would come a time when Anakin would grow out of his attachment to the stuffed animal, but for now Han was perfectly happy to enjoy this stage of life. Leia followed up behind him and leaned down to kiss Anakin goodnight, then stood and put an arm around Han's waist, snuggling up against his side and gazing down at their youngest.

"He really is adorable, isn't he?" Leia asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"Absolutely. They all are," Han said, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her tight.

"I never really told you this," Leia said, her voice quiet enough not to disturb Anakin's sleep but loud enough for Han to hear clearly, "but I had a stuffed Wookiee almost just like that when I was little."

Their eyes remained focused on Anakin in the darkness rather than on each other. "You did?"

Leia nodded against Han's shoulder. "My father gave him to me. He was my favorite, I slept with him every night. I didn't take him everywhere, like Anakin does. My father told me that he would be safer living in my bedroom, and he would always be there waiting for me when I came home. But he was definitely my favorite."

"The kid is even more like you than we thought," Han said before leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

"I also never told you that I got a little teary when you gave Wookiee to Anakin. I watched you from the hallway, and I hadn't thought of my stuffed Wookiee in years but the memory came flooding back. Even though I was 19, it was still there, in my bedroom, the last time I was on Alderaan."

He could hear her voice get a little shaky then. It had been many years now since she'd had to watch her home planet be destroyed in the blink of an eye. Sometimes he wondered how she had been able to endure at all, and he knew that it would affect her for the rest of her life, even though he wished there were something he could do to change that. All he could do was make sure that the rest of her life had more happy days than sad ones, and gave her new meaning and countless wonderful memories to overwhelm the sad ones. He felt that he had been doing a decent job of it so far and as far as he could tell so did she.

Han rubbed his hand up and down her warm back, drawing her into his arms "I'm sorry if that brought back any painful memories for you, sweetheart," he said quietly, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

She leaned away from him then, placing her hands on his cheeks and turning his head so she could look him in the eye. Her brown eyes were shining with unshed tears but she had a faint hint of a smile on her face as she looked at him sincerely and shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she said, leaning him closer so his forehead rested against hers. Pulling his head down a bit more, she kissed him gently before continuing. "I love that he has it, just like I did. And I love that you gave it to him, and that for whatever reason, he decided it was his favorite. Just like me."

He kissed her then. "You must've been so cute with your little Wookiee."

She smiled at him in the darkness. "Of course I was."

Her hands still rested against the sides of his face and she pulled him in for one more quick kiss. "Time for bed for us, I think," Han said and Leia nodded. He pulled away from her and took her hand, leading her toward their bedroom.


End file.
